Help I my fermentation is stuck

[cooksrus]

I have been making three primary fermenters of a cranberry wine made from fresh cranberries and raising I'll see use an acid blend yeast nutrients and pectic enzyme.

The fermentation started out quite well with a high gravity at the beginning at 1.120 for #1. #2 & #3 lame fermenters both started at 1.108. Initial difference between one versus two and three was when I did the initial mix number two and three the initial 23 L marketed pail did not include the 10 pounds of sugar by accident the number one pail thus had less liquid.

There has been two feedings of sugar one on Day six after the yeast of 4 pounds of sugar and also 3 pounds of sugar added on day 7.

The specific gravity has been slowing significantly in the last couple of days... The daily change has dropped from 39, 36, 18, 7, 5, & 2.

Ultimately I am trying to decide because what I did the other day was I took the number one primary fermenter and combined it with number two and number three. As a result I eliminated number one and blended it into #2 & #3

What I am trying to decide it is should I use Yelp ast Energizer or should I Rack the wine then use a different grade yeast or are there any other alternatives.

The rough percentage of the wines in all three of the primary fermenters was roughly 16.1, 16.1, 15.9% respectively. The last time I was able to finish this wine two years ago it ended at 21%. Part of the other challenge I need to deal with is the fact that as the higher the alcohol percentage the more difficult it is to Lower the specific gravity of the wine.

 

[deRicardo]

I am new on the forum but have been making wine for a long time.

The numbers you are giving are not S.G. values. Are they Brix readings? If yes, are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer to take your readings? Alcohol will skew the values on a refractometer and give you the impression the fermentation is stuck when it may already be dry. So, once fermentation has started you should be using a hydrometer, although there is a conversion algorithm you can use to still utilize your refractometer.

Adding another yeast at this late stage would not help you, as the alcohol in the wine would immediately kill most yeasts.

 

[sour_grapes]

I could be wrong, but I think the OP was citing the daily change in SG readings, reported in units of thousandths of g/cc. I.e., the first day, when the change was reported to be 39, he or she meant that the SG went from 1.120 to 1.081.

Cooksrus, can you clarify?

Also, I know you tried to explain everything, but I found your note very confusing. Can you tell us: (a) what your SG is now? (b) what the percentages you cite near the end of your note mean, and where these values came from?

And possibly (c). I gather that you let the wine ferment down a little, then added more sugar as time went on. We would really have to know what the SG was before these additions, and what it was after the additions, and how many of them you did.

 

[cooksrus]

- The daily readings of the specific gravity we're done using a hydrometer, The temperatures are measured in Celsius using a digital thermometer.
- The rough value of the alcohol content was based on the base readings of the specific gravity subtracted by the difference of the specific gravity between sugar feedings.
- I hope my notes don't seem too much OCD but it has helped me in the past.

 

[cooksrus]

- After we testing the wine a Full day later there is 0.000 change in the specific gravity.
- I have already tried changing the temperature up to the higher limit (25'C max.), and I've also tried charging up any potentially stating that yeast that may lie on the bottom of the pail with a thorough stirring.

- The next course of action I have taken this I had purchased some vitamin B1 also known as Thiamine mononitrate. This is meant to work as a yeast Energizer (as compared to yeast nutrient)
- I have read that you were to use 25 mg per gallon... As a result since I have combined primary #1 into #2, and #3 primary fermenters. They each contain a proximally 9.30 gallons. As a result I dosed them each with approximately 232 mg per primary fermenter, (first dissolved in a small mix of the wine from the fermenter) then mixed in for 2.5 minutes and .5 minutes again a couple minutes later just to make sure of proper dispersion in the fermenter.

- Any thoughts???

 

[cooksrus]

I don't know if it matters but I forgot to mention that the macerated fruit is still in the primary fermenter...

 

[DoctorCAD]

You started at 1.120 and then step fed more sugar???

I'd bet you killed the yeast by alcohol poisoning.

 

[cooksrus]

To Doctorcad... Do you think alcohol poisoning due to high starting S.G. Or the shocks of sugar feedings... When I made this same recipe before it worked and ended at 21% (the difference that time was that I fed the yeast the same amount but in one more dose but the same total value o sugar in the end result)
- if so, any thoughts to bring it to finish the fermentation process?

 

[cooksrus]

Still no change as of 8 am today; should I rack it and try a stronger strain of yeast and reintroduce the new yeast with a slow restart???

 

[DoctorCAD]

Im not sure, but I think 18% is about as high as wine yeast will ever get, and its very difficult to even get thst high.

 

[cooksrus]

Just to clarify... You would say it is best to rack the wine into a carboy to finish it as a sweeter wine.
- is there anything I could do to prevent spoilage issues with having a high S.G.
- would blending the finished product wine with a dry wine blend with a very dry wine just to lower the sweetness.
- or are there any other options?

 

[sour_grapes]

Just to clarify... You would say it is best to rack the wine into a carboy to finish it as a sweeter wine.
- is there anything I could do to prevent spoilage issues with having a high S.G.
- would blending the finished product wine with a dry wine blend with a very dry wine just to lower the sweetness.
- or are there any other options?

I went through your notes, and concur that your wine is likely in the 16% range. (I must admit that I did not try to account for the change in volume that occurs when you add sugar to your must.)

I think it would be no harm to try pitching more yeast. If you do so, I would first make a starter. You could use EC-1118 again, or you could try UVAFerm 43.

Another option, but not one I am advocating, is to use turbo yeast (or distiller's yeast). These have higher alcohol tolerances. However, the knock on them is the taste profile is poor.

Spoilage: Well, if the yeast can't eat it, likely nothing else can either. You could add potassium sorbate and k-meta, like normal. Another option is to add some brandy to fortify to 20%.

Yes, you could blend with a dry wine to reduce the sweetness. If you do this, be sure to use potassium sorbate and k-meta.

 

[cooksrus]

. .

 

[cooksrus]

Update:
What I did yesterday was I took everything in the Primary fermenters strained out all the pulp and racked it into Carboys (1,2,&3 again). When I tested it last night it was still at 1.020 S.G. I also took a small sample and strained it then used a couple coffee filters to strain it enough to test it in my Vinometer it said 21/22%. I stopped by the local store today to get some Chitlosan and Kielolsol. I got home and retested the wine it was at 1.018, 1.016, and 1.018. There was some change since yesterday.... h There was some more change as I am somewhat aprehensive to have that high of closing S.G.; I have decided to wait another day to add the K-Meta to be sure the yeast is dead...

- we will just see tomorrow how it is going... (for now... slowly but surely)

 

[Lee9923]

I would guess that there is simply too much sugar in the mix. Overfeeding will stick a fermentation